Portable computers, like notebook and laptop computers, have become increasingly popular. Users of such computers have the ability to perform computing tasks wherever they happen to be located. Furthermore, portable computers have been successfully used for two users to view displayed information at the same time, even where these users sit opposite to one another.
Consider the typical situation 100 depicted in FIG. 1. Two users 102 and 104 are seated and situated opposite to one another. The user 102 is using a portable computer 106. The portable computer 106 has a display 108 that is hinged so that the display 108 can be positioned substantially parallel to the top of the table on which the computer 106 is resting. As a result, both the user 102 and the user 104 are able to view the display 108 of the portable computer 106.
The user 102 is the primary user of the portable computer 106. Therefore, the information displayed on the display 108 is usually displayed right-side-up from the perspective of this user 102. This is disadvantageous, however, in that the user 102 may be trying to show the user 104 something on his or her computer 106, which is why the display 108 has been folded back so that it is parallel to the top of the table. That is, when the user 102 is showing the user 104 the information on the display 108, the information is normally upside-down from the perspective of the user 104, instead of being right-side-up, for instance.
Therefore, a technology has been developed by which at the selection of a menu item, or at a press of one or more buttons, the information displayed on the display 108 of the computer 106 is flipped upside-down. As a result, the information is displayed right-side-up for the user 104 to whom the user 102 is showing the information. This is depicted in the top view of FIG. 1 shown in FIG. 2. The information 202 displayed on the display 108 has been flipped upside-down so that it is displayed right-side-up for the user 104. Therefore, the user 102 is able to show the information 202 to the user 104, without the user 104 having to be on the same side of the display 108 as the user 102 is.
A further disadvantage, however, is that once the information 202 is displayed right-side-up to the user 104, it is difficult for the user 102 to control the computer 106, since the information 202 is displayed upside-down to the user 102. The user 102 is the user controlling the computer 106, since, as depicted in FIG. 1, the part of the computer 106 that typically includes a keyboard and a pointing device like a touch pad is situated nearer the user 102, as can be appreciated by those of ordinary skill within the art. Although the user 102 is able to enter input in relation to the keyboard and the pointing device, because the information 202 is displayed upside-down to the user 102, it is difficult for the user 102 to perform such entry.
Therefore, another technology has been developed by which a small window 204 is displayed in a corner of the display 108, in which at least substantially all of the information 202 is displayed in a scaled manner and right-side-up to the user 102. That is, whereas the information 202 itself is displayed upside-down to the user 102, the scaled version of this information within the window 204 is displayed right-side-up to the user 102. Therefore, when the user 102 controls the pointing device, for instance, to move the pointer 206 in relation to the information 202, a corresponding pointer may be moved within the window 204. As a result, the user 102 can perform input by concentrating on the scaled display of the information 202 within the window 204.
However, the scaled display of at least substantially all the information 202 within the small window 204 is nevertheless disadvantageous. First, because the window 204 is so small, it is difficult for the user 102 to perform accurate input. For instance, precise movement of the pointer 206 can be difficult to accomplish in relation to the scaled version of the information 202 within the window 204. Furthermore, text entry may be difficult to accomplish, because the text may be so small within the window 204 so as to be nearly if not completely indiscernible.
Another disadvantage is that the window 204 covers up a portion of the display 108 that is otherwise used by the information 202. However, this portion is seen within the window 204, such that the user 102 may reference it, even though the user 104 cannot see it, which is disadvantageous. For instance, if the user 102 wants to show the user 104 a portion of the information 202 that is covered by the window 204, he or she may not be able to accomplish this. Furthermore, if text entry or other input, such as pointer movement, is desired in relation to the portion of the information 202 overlapped by the window 204, this can also be difficult to achieve.
For these and other reasons, therefore, there is a need for the present invention.